558 HISTORY Ol llll COMMITTI I ()\ M.ILV.I AND TECHNOLOGY 



knew he would have to offer an amendment on the floor to extend 

 the OTA authorization for two years, overriding Felly's committee 

 effort to limit OTA to a one-year authorization. Davis knew this 

 was necessary because there was such a short time left until the fiscal 

 year ended on June 30. His preference was not to have a two-year 

 deadline and extend OTA indefinitely, hut he realized this was ex- 

 pecting a little too much of those who had backed the Pelly amendment 

 in the full committee. His judgment proved sound, as the two-year 

 authorization subsequently went through. 



If there is anything that disturbs the floor manager of a bill the 

 most, it is the receipt of last-minute amendments with far-reaching 

 implications. When you receive such surprise amendments far enough 

 in advance, it is possible to organize against them and complete the 

 necessary research for floor arguments or to reshape the amendments 

 so that they arc acceptable. If the amendment is offered immediately 

 prior to its being taken up on the floor, you can always count on a 

 group of Congressmen who will be attracted by the argument that it is 

 unfair to spring something at the last minute without everybody con- 

 cerned getting copies. But the best strategy for those who really want 

 to see their amendments adopted is to hand them to the floor manager 

 on the same day the bill is debated, allowing enough time so it can't 

 be charged it is unfair, but not enough time to organize counter- 

 arguments and strategy. 



Speaking in support of the bill were Davis, Mosher, Winn, 

 Symington, Wydler, McCormack, Cabell, Miller, Teague, Esch, Pelly, 

 Fuqua, Hanna, Seiberling, and Bell of the committee, as well as 

 Illinois Republican Representatives Robert McClory and John B. 

 Anderson. 



THE HENDERSON AND BROOKS AMENDMENTS 



As Davis went to the floor for the February 8 debate, he was 

 handed several amendments by Representatives David B. Henderson 

 (Democrat of North Carolina) and Jack Brooks (Democrat of Texas). 

 Henderson proposed to eliminate the authority of the OTA Director 

 to lix the pay rates of certain professional personnel without regard to 

 Civil Service requirements. After some consultation, Davis decided to 

 accept the Henderson amendment. The Brooks amendments were more 

 serious and fundamental in character. They radically altered the com- 

 position of the Technology Assessment Board from a mixture of con- 

 gressional and Presidential members to an all-Congress board. Also, 

 they eliminated OTA's subpoena power and the Director's authority 

 to initiate assessments Davis and his allies decided to light the Brooks 

 amendments. 



